Utilization of heat in vaporized fuel burners



Dec. 30, 1952 K. PARR UTILIZATION 0F HEAT 1N VAPORIZED FUEL BURNERS Filed Sept. l5, 1950 amm' IIIIIIIIIIIII IIII;

/ll//l/l 29 28 /9 zo ZI Patented Dec. 30, 195.2

UTILIZATION OF HEATV IN VAPORIZED FUEL` BURNERS f- Application-September 15, 1950, SerialNo. 184,940 .In `Australia September 21, 1949 "This invention relates to vaporized "'oil fuel burning" apparatus' of thekirid particularlysuitable for- Vdomestic 'and industrial heating purposesand in which hydro-carbon fuel, "particularly the type generallyknown as 'kerosene "or asparaiin,A is red by "pressure from "a supply tank through a"heat=.='d vaporizing section of Tthe fuelvaporfsupply' tube"'wl'iich"ter`rninates `in a jet discharge orice through which" the fuel is discharged invapor fornffor ignition ofthe fuel vapor afteriissuancefrom the jet oriiice.

YThe invention is 'l 'particularly useful 'in the type of'oil fuel apparatus"Wherein"the1fuelis fedunder W` pressure to the' fuel' vapor 'discharge `jet by g1avity"`fro1n"an elevated "fuel supplytank.

Usually'in this class of burner a pre-'heating bowl isU situated below" thel vaporizing 'section of the'fuel vapor supply tube for containing methylatedspirits4 or thelike "Which'is ignited for heating the fuelvaporizing'section'of the vapor supply Y tube Aand the 'jet toinitiate vvaporization of y thefuel. I-IeatA supplied by 'ignition of` the fuel vaporafteriissuance' fromthevapor jet 'discharge or'ice continues the vaporization oflthe oil fuel after exhaustion'of 'the'inet'h'ylated spirits in the-pre-heating bowl. l

Generally vin-`su`ch fuelY burners lthere 'is a' "considerable roaring noise created when `the fuel is V`ignited on or around the gas spreading saucer Whichis situated usuallyI at` a `selected distance from the jetforice, to provide "for a correct proportionofiair to be 'mixed with the vaporized fuel-before ignition lor the'iu'el takesY place.

Furthermore,` this method of burning` oil"-fuel is comparatively 1` trouble free `in operation but is Junsuitableior domestic and like use' owing tolthefroaring noise created upon ignitionof the fuel-and airgas.

Previously known or similar oil fuel burning' apparatuswherein a means ofsilencng the" roaring @noise Lisi employed, Whilst still `maintaining proper I combustion 4of the` fuel, usually suier fromi the,v disadvantage vf becoming' overheated under'fsev'ere conditionsV of burning such asmetal" melting'ori hot-plate stove cooking. Thisfoverheating of the vmeans of silencing the fuel gas ignition can causethefuel gas `mixture tofignite inside of the `silencer apparatus causing faulty combustion, soot and smell, and sometimes results Ain 'portions of'the silencerl apparatus-being melted away and thereby rendering theburner unsuitable Aforiurther use. Usually, thisf-means-ibf silencing "fuel lgas ignition.A consists f `-a gas-' spreadingchamber adapted to gas to' effect silencing; and' 'usually 'a restriction or restrictions are providedat'the'gas' ignition point to increase orac-celerate' the velocity of" the *fuel gas for thepurpose orpreventlng ignition not erectivewhen `used under extremely hotcon- 10 ditions of burning `or when aflow pressure delivery` of` gas isemplOyed, as the gas-is inclined vto ignite -in the-`areas or thegasspreadingchamber Where-ea lesser velocity' in the *flow* of -gas`-"is caused by the restriction or restrictions referred to.

`The primary object of f theprese'nt invention is to provide inV oil fuelivaporeburnersf ofthe class described-a means of reducing'to-a minimumrthe noise created upon `ignition of the fuelgasgwhilst maintaining proper combustion of the fuel, when the 'burner is operated -urider normal or severe conditions of burning.

Another object -of the invention isto provide in such- Aan improved bur-ner, a= `means of' pre- Venting.voverheatingaof the =burner silencerarid of the gases passing therethrough, by insulation of ttheportions .of the burner silencer exposed Lt0 radiation of heat from the burner iiame.

-Aiurther Object ofl the invention isi to provide for 4use, in.r pressurefedfuel vapor burners, a burner silencerwhich` producesan unbroken liney of flame dat the AignitionpcintA or the wfu'el gas, vwhich is easily cleanable, and in which vbur-ner silencer thefuel gas and `flame `may be directed upwards `irom-v the said' `burner silencer, thereby adding to the eiciency of theburn`er.

Af still furtherobject of theinvention'is to provide in' such aburner silencer, 'a'gas spreading and` directingpassage which is calculated to maintain' the' velocity of the iioW orgasffrom the 'gasentry point thereto, 7to the outer extremity or gas ignition point thereof, for the, purpose of preventing ignition of the gas in orthrough th-e said spreading andldirecting passage.

These and further objects arewachieved `by means of the apparatus illustratedin thefaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of a burner, showing the invention attached or suspended above a jet housing .having-i a `jet-and connected to a vapor supply tube havinga vaporizing section located abovethe burner.

Figure 2 is anenlarged cross-sectional view of the burner silencer according to the inven- 3 tion and showing a portion of the vaporizing section I' tne vapor supply tube.

Figure 1s a pian View o1 part of the burner silencer and vapor supply tube shown in VFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the part of the burner silencer omitted Irom Figure r-igure a is an enlarged inverted pian view of a. portion 0I tile Silencer SIlOWIl 111 .Figure i5, parl) or the lower wan being broxen away.

As seen 1n figure l there is a saucer 2 in which methylated spirits or the lilie 1s ignited to heat the vaporimng tuoe the Jet housing c, the Jet e and the burner silencer o which 1s suspended at a selected distance aoove and concentric with tne said Jet c by means or supporting columns 'i which, in turn, are connected at their lower ends to braclrets proJecting from the said Jet housing 4, ana at their upper ends, to adaptors u fixed to the said burner silencer c.

Delivery 0I' on Iuel to the Vaporizing tube 3 is enacted through an adaptor lu, opposite end oI which is internally screw threaded to receive the niiet end or' the said vaporizlng tube 3, and to which a fuel delivery pipe or the like may be connected.

As seen 1n Figure 2 the burner silencer comprises a gas directing saucer II having a gas entry hole l2 and a gas spreading saucer I3 suspenned in the interior of the said gas directing saucer EI by means of distance pins Ill having seating faces I5. Attached to the seating faces i5 or' the distance pins Id are location pins IS adapted to project into receiving holes which are situated in the gas directing saucer EI in the positions indicated also by the numeral It. The location pins It maintain the central positioning of the gas spreading saucer I3 in the gas directing saucer II and also allow for easy removal and simple, accurate replacement of the said gas spreading saucer in the event of same being removed for the purpose of cleaning away undesirable or obstructive matter which may fall into or otherwise become lodged in the gas spreading and directing passage in the course of operation.

Also shown in Figure 2 is an air chamber Il' above which is suspended, by a pillar 23, a metal disc or diaphragm I8 supporting a layer of asbestos or other suitable insulating material I9 retained by a metal washer 2B which is secured by a lock-nut 2| and an extended screw 22 which is received in an internally screw threaded portion of the pillar 23 and is adapted to be used as a handle for the removal of the gas spreading saucer I3.

In operation, oil fuel delivered by pressure through the adaptor I to the vaporizer tube 3, is vaporized by heat supplied by ignition of methylated spirits or the like placed in the saucer 2 and is delivered in vapor form through the jet 5 after which a calculated proportion of air is induced to mix with the fuel vapor to form a combustible gas which is directed by means of the said jet 5 through the entry hole I2 to strike the gas spreading saucer I3 which, in turn, spreads the gas laterally and upwardly through the gas spreading and directing passage 24 which extends from the gas entry hole I2 to the mouth or outer extremity 29, and is indicated in Fig. 3 by numerals 2'! and 28. Upon reaching the mouth or upper extremity 29 of the said gas spreading and directing passage 24, the gas is ignited and forms a circular ame.

A portion of the flame is utilized to heat a vaporizing section 25 of the vaporizing tube 3 and continues vaporization of the fuel after exhaustion of the methylated spirits flame.

Explaining further, the gas, after entry to the gas spreading and directing passage 24, is forced passed a series of distance pms I4 which are oval shaped and situated, as better seen in Figure 5, to effect a m1n1mum of deflection to the said gas whilst providing ample support for the gas spreading saucer I3.

Divisions of the flow of gas caused by the distance pins Ill, are substantially closed by a slight circumferential restriction 26.

rlhe peripheral areas 21 of the gas passage 24 where the volume of passing gas is reduced by the distance pins Ill, are slightly narrowed as seen in Figures 2, 3 and 5, to maintain velocity of the reduced volume of gas passing in the said areas 27.

The peripheral areas 28 of the gas passage 2li, where the flow of gas is not reduced, are tapered outwardly or widened from the slight circumferential restriction 26 to the mouth or outer extremity 29 of the said gas passage 24 to slightly reduce the velocity of the gas passing therethrough and to allow for expansion of the gas which occurs as the said gas nears the mouth or outer extremity 29.

An even velocity of the gas at the mouth 0r outer extremity 29, is maintained by narrowing and widening the gas spreading and directing passage 24 in the abovementioned manner.

The silencing means of the invention operates in sharp contrast to those used previously, as the velocity of the gas is not accelerated, or the flow of gas is not restricted for acceleration purposes, at the outer extremity or mouth of the gas spreading and directing passageway which also presents no acute restriction to the ow of gas after the gas is delivered therein.

One practical example of a burner silencer constructed according to the principal features of the invention, substantially as illustrated in the drawings, and embodying a means of insulation as described, is as follows:

The gas entry hole diameter was of an inch and the gas spreading saucer was evenly spaced 7@ of an inch apart from the gas directing saucer, except at the circumferential restriction where the distance between the saucers was reduced to g3g of an inch. In the areas of the passage formed between the saucers, where the flow of gas was uninterrupted by the distance pins the said passage was tapered outwardly so that the saucers were spaced 74,4 of an inch apart at the mouth. In those areas of the passage formed between the saucers, where the ow of gas was divided by the distance pins and where a subsequent lesser volume of gas resulted, the distance between the saucers was gradually reduced to 52,4 of an inch at those areas of the mouth of the passage, where a comparatively even velocity of the gas resulted. The oval distance pins used to space the saucers apart were 3% of an inch wide and ft; of an inch long and were situated as shown in the accompanying drawings. The gas spreading saucer had a diameter of 3%; inches at the annular mouth of the gas passage and the said gas spreading saucer was spaced 1% inches from a discharge jet having an orifice diameter of 0.022. Kerosene fuel vapour was delivered to the jet at two and one half pounds per square inch and the burner functioned favourably under the conditions of burning previously referred to, and produced a thermal output of approximately 12,000 British thermal units per hour.

Having now fully described and ascertained vmy said invention and the manner in which it is to be performed, I declare that what I claim l. In a vapor-burner, a vaporizing tube for liquid fuel, a silencing device comprising upper and lower spaced apart dished members having their concave sides directed upwardly, the upper member being nested in the lower member to form a vapor-spreading passageway between them lending in an unbroken opening of closed configuration and the lower member having an aperture adapted to receive fuel vapor from the vaporizing tube, and supports for the upper member arranged in the said passageway at spaced intervals around said aperture inwardly from the outer end of said passageway, the walls of said passageway being closer together at positions disposed radially outwards from said supports than at locations between said positions.

2. In a vapor-burner, a vaporizing tube for liquid fuel, a silencing device comprising upper and lower spaced apart dished members having their concave sides directed upwardly, the upper member being nested in the lower member to form a vapor-spreading passageway between them ending in an unbroken opening of closed configuration and the lower member having an aperture adapted to receive fuel vapor from the vaporizing tube, and supports for the upper member arranged in the said passageway at spaced intervals around said aperture inwardly from the outer end of said passageway, the walls of said passageway being closer together at positions disposed radially outwards from said supports than at locations between said positions, and the walls of said passageway diverging outwardly at said locations from a circumferential constriction in said passageway disposed outwardly of said supports.

3. In a vapor-burner, a vaporizing tube for liquid fuel, a silencing device comprising upper and lower spaced apart dished members having their concave sides directed upwardly, the upper member being nested in the lower member to form a vapor-spreading passageway between them ending in an unbroken opening of closed configuration and the lower member having an aperture vadapted to receive fuel vapor from the vaporizing tube, and pins projecting from the lower face of the upper member at spaced intervals around said aperture inwardly from the outer end of said passageway and adapted to seat in sockets in the lower member, the walls of said passageway being closer together at positions disposed radially outwards from said pins than at locations between said positions.

4. In a vapor-burner, a vaporizing tube for liquid fuel, a silencing device comprising upper and lower spaced apart dished members having their concave sides directed upwardly, the upper member being nested in the lower member to form a vapor-spreading passageway between them ending in an unbroken opening of closed configuration and the lower member having an aperture adapted to receive fuel vapor from the vaporizing tube, a layer of heat-insulating material covering an air space in the base of the upper member, and supports for the upper member arranged in the said passageway at spaced intervals around said aperture inwardly from the outer end of said passageway, the walls of said passageway being closer together at positions disposed radially outwards from said supports than at locations between said positions.

5. In a Vapor-burner, a vaporizing tube for liquid fuel, a silencing device comprising upper and lower spaced apart dished members having their concave sides directed upwardly, the upper member being nested in the lower member to form a vapor-spreading passageway between them ending in an unbroken opening of closed configuration and the lower member having an aperture adapted to receive fuel vapor from the vaporizing tube, a layer of heat-insulating material covering an air space in the base of the upper member, and pins projecting from the lower face of the upper member at spaced intervals around said aperture inwardly from the outer end of said passageway and adapted to seat in sockets in the lower member, the walls of said passageway being closer together at positions disposed radially outwards from said supports than at locations between said positions and the walls of said passageway diverging outwardly at said locations from a circumferential constriction in said passageway disposed outwardly of said supports.

6. In a vapor-burner, a vaporizing tube for liquid fuel, a silencing device comprising upper and lower spaced apart dished circular members having their concave sides directed upwardly, each member having a substantially flat central portion and an outwardly and upwardly sloping peripheral portion, the upper member being nested in the lower member to form a vapor-spreading passageway between them ending in an unbroken opening of closed configuration and the lower member having an aperture adapted to receive fuel vapor from the vaporizing tube, a circular layer of heat-insulating material covering an air-space defined by the central portion and the lower part of the peripheral portion of the upper member, and upper-member-supporting pins projecting downwardly from the central portion of the upper member at spaced intervals around said aperture, the walls of said passageway formed by the peripheral portions of the said members being closer together at positions disposed radially outwards from said pins than the walls of said passageway at locations between said positions and the width of said passageway between said positions increasing outwardly in the peripheral portions of the said members, the said passageway also being constricted at the base of the said peripheral portions.

KEITH PARR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 403,612 Robilliard et al. May 21, 1889 519,375 Betz May 8, 1894 630,751 Simmons Aug. 8, 1899 708,926 Shattuc Sept. 9, 1902 760,703 Rush May 24, 1904 1,175,187 Slapnicka Mar. 14, 1916 1,261,463 Wade Apr. 2, 1918 1,986,311 White Jan. 1, 1935 2,424,154 Dunham et al July 15, 1947 

